Hansi Flick opted for an alternative XI for FC Barcelona vs Real Sociedad. The Azulgrana coach, due to injuries (6) and the proximity of the Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain (Wednesday), made up to seven changes in his lineup. The main surprise was the presence of academy player Pedro 'Dro' Fernández as an attacking midfielder.

The player from Nigrán will play his first official match with Barça at just 17 years and 258 days old. Dro accumulated four previous call-ups, against Mallorca, Levante, Rayo, and Oviedo, without adding any minutes. In addition, he played one match with the reserve team (76 minutes against Porreres) in Juliano Belletti's team's debut in the Segunda RFEF.

Dro Fernández debuts in La Liga as a replacement for Dani Olmo

Dro Fernández celebrating his goal against Vissel Kobe

Flick trusted Fernández since the preseason, taking him to the Asian tour. There, he played 79 minutes, starting in the last friendly in South Korea, against Daegu (0-5). On August 4, he played the first half and, previously, he managed to score a goal against Vissel Kobe (1-3), on July 27 in Japan.

Now, the attacking midfielder receives his first great opportunity, accompanying Pedri and Frenkie de Jong in the engine room against Real Sociedad. In attack, the presence of Roony Bardghji also stands out, who returns to the XI after a poor first half against Valendia, taking the place of Lamine Yamal.

The player from Mataró will be on the bench after receiving medical clearance and will have minutes in the second half. Ferran Torres and Eric García are also out of the lineup after six consecutive starts in La Liga. The other who leaves his place on the field for Dro's entry is Dani Olmo. The player from Terrassa did not have a good day in Oviedo and will rest before the match against PSG.

The player from Nigrán also takes advantage of the absence of Fermín López to enter the lineup. The player from Huelva will be out until mid-October due to a muscular injury in the left iliac psoas suffered in the thrashing against Getafe (3-0). Flick takes advantage of this scenario to give confidence to the academy player, just as he did last season with Marc Bernal.

Barça hopes to close Dro's renewal in January

In addition, Dro Fernández's debut as a starter in La Liga ratifies Barça's medium and long-term commitment to the player from Nigrán. For now, the attacking midfielder has a contract until 2027, but the board has well underway his renewal for five more seasons, until June 2031.

The new contract, however, will have to wait until the beginning of 2026, once the player reaches the age of majority. Dro will celebrate his 18th birthday on January 12 and, by then, the details of his renewal must have been closed.

The club fully trusts in the projection of the academy player, a versatile player (he can play as a reference in the area) and with a lot of technique and scoring ability. His movement and associative play distinguish him as a decisive and very intelligent footballer to detect spaces in the rival defense. Against Real Sociedad, he will try to deploy these attributes on the Montjuïc pitch.